Traffic guidance marker for road surfaces



NOV. 19, 19.35. l l A P WHlTE 2,021,759

TRAFFIC GUIDANCE MARKER FOR ROAD SURFACES Filed Oct. 28, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l Eig# 2- if B EW. go

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Nov. 19, 1935. A. P. WHITE 2,021,759

TRAFFIC GUIDANCE MARKER FOR ROAD sURFAcEs Filed oct. 28, 1952 2 sheets-'shea 2 Patented Nov. 19, 1935 yPATENT l oFFlcE 'mame GUmANcE MARKER Fo vnom) sUnFAcEs Alexander P. White, Caldwell, N. J., asls'iguor of one-halt to Edward T. Wilkinson, Montclair,

Application October 28, 1.932, Serial No. 640,107

9 Claims.

This invention relates to traffic guidance markers for road surfaces, and the object is to provide an economical durable marker of the general type, described and claimed in my prior application Serial Number 400,607, ln which I show a marker consisting of a tablet or symbol xed in a bituminous sheet-like body adapted to form a spot of new surface on the old road surface. In this application, which isa continuation of my prior l0 application, I show specific means for strengthening and generally improving the sheet body that carries the symbol. That is to say. the new carrying body has incorporated therein askeleton made up of wire gauze, expanded metal,

steel wool, or any material suitable for reinforcing means. 'Ihe object of such reinforcement is to strengthen and to better adapt it to hold its shape against the tendency of the bituminous ingredient to spread under the pressure of traffic wheels, especially in warm Weather.

The reinforced marker of the present application retains all the advantages of the marker described in my aforesaid prior application. Itis 'fixed on'the road in the same way by initial adhesion, without breaking into the road body as is the case with the ordinary metal markers, and its quick and easy installation does not involve the interruption ofr traille as marking by the painting method does.

In the drawings which are a part of this specification, like characters refer to like parts in the related figures.

Fig. `1 is a top plan view of a marker constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention, showing `the application of the marker to a road surface.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a ller reinforcing element employed in constructing a marker, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a matrix element, consisting of a piece of wire gauze, employed in constructing the marker, according to one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is asectional view through one form of skeleton or matrix of a marker constructed according to one embodiment of the invention, be-

fore the said skeleton or matrix has been eneither in combination with or without the filler element shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view through a finished marker built upon and about the plate element as a matrix shown in Fig. 6, as a single reinforcing j! element.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a finished marker in which the skeleton part is formed by bending back the marginal edges of the wire gauze fabric illustrated in Fig. 3 to reinforce the shoulder por- 10 tions adjacent the edges of the symbol.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a skeleton or matrix formed with matted metal known in commerce as steel wool this being an alternate form of matrix. l5

Fig. l0 is a sectional view through a finished marker made by enveloping the matrix of steel wool illustrated in Fig.\9.

Fig. l1 is a sectional view through a finished marker as shown in Fig. 10 with the addition of 20 means to anchor the symbol to the skeleton and body of bituminous material formed about it.

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through a finished marker employing as the matrix element a piece of expanded metal.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that the present marker, according to each embodiment of the invention, is composed of two main parts, viz., a reinforced body A of bituminous material I3 such as may be used for 30 the surfacing of roads, and a. symbol B of metal,

. rubber or other suitable material, fixed to the said bituminous-body, the symbol having its upper face exposed in order to serve as a visible indicator for the guidance of traiiic. It will be ob- 35 vious that the purpose of the skeleton or matrix portion designated as C is to strengthen the body A generally as well as to improve its capacity to retain 'its original shape and resist wear.

Although the skeleton or matrix C may con- 40 sist of a single piece, as illustrated in Figs. 'I and 8, description of the skeleton of multiple parts shown in Fig. 4 will fully explain the character of the invention.

In the said Fig. 4 the skeleton or matrix C 45 consists of the two pieces of wire gauze H and I2, having between them the cushioning relement I0 which, for example, may be composed of burlap, or asbestos fabric, or any other -suitable material, permeated with asphalt, or a thin 50 metal plate perforated as shown by i9, Fig. 6,

` so as to permit the asphalt thoroughly to envelop it. It will be noted that part l2 is the counterpart of Il.

The size of the parts I Il and l2 determine 55.

symbol may be disposed either slightly labove theskeleton structure or it preferably may extend into the opening I5 in the upper sheet II against the upper face of the sheet I0, or through the opening I5 and an alined opening I6 in the sheet I0 against the upper face of the bottom sheet I2. In fact, the symbol may also extend through the bottom matrix sheet I2, but it is preferred to have this latter matrix sheet extend continuously beneath the symbol as ,shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In the finished marker the top of the symbol is preferably disposed flush, or substantially flush, with the top ofA the surrounding bituminous material I3 and in cross section the body A is from a thickness of, say, three sights `of an inch tapered outwardly from the symbol to a relatively thin edge. It is customary in practice to make the superficial area of the body A about twice that .of the symbol B and also to use wire `gauze of about the heft of common ily screening for the parts II and I2.

One simple way of making the device, which will be easily understood,consists in dipping in hot asphalt the parts that compose the skeleton, as in Fig. 4, in such manner as to thoroughly coat them. The coated parts are then arranged in position, as shown in Fig. 4, and heated sufficiently to soften the asphalt coating so that upon the application of pressure, the several parts will combine as a unitary structure in the general form desired. The body so formed should be coated with additional hot asphalt and hot sand sprinkled on it, so as to give it the character of road surface.

When the body part A is made, as just described, the symbol .B may be put in position and fixation established by pressure, the asphalt ofl symbol with the bituminous element of the body A. When the device is in service on the road, the paper will, of course, quickly disappear.

Other ways of making the device are available.

`For example, the skeleton parts may 'be assembled in a mould especially if the skeleton be made up of a mat oi what is known in commerceA as steel wool (Figs. 9. 10 and 1l) and hot asphalt poured into the mould. The recess 2I, Fig. 10, for the symbol, may be made by pressing a former into the body of asphalt and steel woo before the asphalt loses plasticity by cooling. The steel wooi is a product which consista of threadlike shavings of metal that readiiy mat like animal wool. 0f the several types of skeleton, that one which employs the metal threads vis to be preferred, for vthe reason that y the size of the marker, and the size of the openexcellent surface for any kind of hard road. As a binder the metal threads overcome the tendency of the road surface sometimes to "creep. They make a hard compact body that cuers great resistance to wear. Because of these particular characteristics, it is a desirable medium for securing and protecting the marking symbol.

With the description and explanation hereinbefore, the'variations shown in the several drawings will be understood. In Fig. 11 there is a construction in which mechanical fastening devices 22 are illustrated. They indicate means by which the security of the symbol may be augmented by mechanically transmitting to the skelleton body the strains which the symbol is required to resist on the road. It is apparent from y the drawings that the device 22 may be varied in design. For example, the anchoring arms constituting the base part may be extended to reach beyond the margin of the symbol into the edge parts of the composite body A; and the top part shown as buried in the symbol may be designed to lie exposed on the upper surface of the symbol, by lengthening the web like central part.

Referring to Fig. '7 of the drawings, it will be observed that the skeleton or matrix is composed of a relatively thin plate I8 having numerous small perforations I8 therein as illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 of the drawings illustrates a construction which is the same asv the construction illustrated in Fig.. 5, except that the wire gauze is a single pieceA I2' with the `marginal edges bent back at 20 over the edge of the cushioning filler I0' to form the part II'.

As stated hereinbefore, the marker is attached to the road by adhesion. For an adhesive a solution made by dissolving pure rubber in high grade vgasoline to the consistency of heavy cream has been found satisfactory. It is usual to coat the spot on the street where the marker is to lie, as well as the under surface of the marker itself. After the coating has, from evaporation, taken the taclw gummy character, say, in six or eight minutes, depending on atmospheric conditions, the marker is set in place and pressed down as with the foot. 'I'he subsequent action of passing wheels will cause the new road surface material of the marker to become incorporated into the old road, with the result that the symbol appears as if it had been built into the road while the road itself was under construction. I

Without further description it is thought that the features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will of course be understood that changes in the form, proportion and details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the a.p'60

pended claims.

It will be noted that the terms skeleton and matrix used interchangeably in this specification, are intended to mean the same thing.

1. In a device for marking road surfaces to direct tramo, the combination including a signal symbol. a matrix and' a body sheet of bituminous road surfacing material having the said matrix incorporated therein, the said matrix comprising a mat of finely divided and intermingled threadlike strands of metal, the symbol being secured to said `body sheet, and thesaid body sheet being adapted to be ilxeii adhesively to a normal road surface.

2. In a device for marking road surfaces to di- 75 rect trafllc, the combination comprising a signal symbol, a matrix and a body ,sheet of bituminous road surfacing material having the said matrix incorporated therein, the said symbol being secured to said body sheet and having anchoring means extending into the said body sheet and interlocked with the matrix, the said body sheet being adapted to be fixed adhesively to a normal road surface.

3. In a' device for marking road surfaces to dinormal road surface. e

4. As an article of manufacture, a trailic guidance marker 4.for road surfaces comprising a matrix of metallic wool, a body of bituminous road surfacing material disposed around and through said matrix, and a symbol or indicator exposed at the top of said body.

5. As an article of manufacture, a trafilc guidance marker for road surfaces comprising a matrix of metallic wool, a body of bituminous road surfacing material disposed around and through said matrix, and a symbol or indicator disposed within a recess in the upper sido of said body and interlocked with the matrix.

6. As an article of manufacture, a trame guidance marker for road surfaces comprising a matrix, a body of bituminous road surfacing material disposed around and through said matrix, a symbol orindicator exposed at the top of said body, and mechanical means anchoring said symbol or yindicator' to the matrix.

7. As an article of manufacture, a traiilc guidance marker for road surfaces comprising a wiregauge matrix, a' body of bituminous road surface ing material disposed around and through said matrix, and a symbol or indicator disposed within a recess in the top of said body and. mechani-` cally interlocked with said matrix.

8. A traffic guidance marker `as set forth in claim 7 in `which the symbol or indicator extends through a recess in the upper side of the body and through openings in the cushioning element 20 and one of the matrix elements.

9. In a device for anchoring a tablet marker on road surfaces for guiding traic, the combination comprising a body of bituminous road surfacing material in substantially sheet form and a matrix 25 of metal, the said road surfacing material enveloping the said matrix, the said anchoring device so formed being adaptedA to be fixed. adhesively to a hard road surface to provide a protecting, as well as anchoring seat for the tablet. a0

-ALEXANDER P. WHITE. 

